Release the Beast
Yesterday, I predicted that former Al-Qaeda terrorist David Hicks would not offer a genuine apology for his role in terrorism, upon his release from prison today.
As it turns out, he did not even offer an insincere one.
A defiant David Hicks was in hiding last night after refusing to apologise for working with Islamic terror groups responsible for killing Australians.
Hicks, 32, looking robust and with shoulder-length hair, walked out of Adelaide’s Yatala Prison yesterday morning after nearly six years behind bars.
Almost a dozen police cars and motorbikes held back traffic and a no-fly zone grounded helicopters as Hicks made a quick getaway.
A relative in a Victorian-registered car took him to the first of a series of secret safe houses.
As he was taken away, federal police refused to say if they had authorised Hicks to move between addresses or even travel interstate.
Hicks made no apology for his actions in a statement read by his lawyer outside the prison after his client had left.
Asked if Hicks felt he had anything to be sorry for, his father, Terry, said: “I don’t think so.”
Mr Hicks later refused to say if Hicks was sorry for training with al-Qaida and serving alongside the Taliban.
“I think that’s probably irrelevant now. He’s out,” he said.
That’s Terry “Dangerfield” Hicks for you. Consider him to be the tree from which the rotten apple did not fall far.
Update: I take it back. Hicks did apologize for something.
Hicks apologised for not facing the media directly but said he felt unable to.
“I know you all hoped I might appear and answer some questions,” he said. “I had hoped to be able to speak to the media but I am just not strong enough at the moment. I am sorry for that.”
I dunno. He’s look rather robust these days, no doubt courtesy of his Guantanamo Bay days.
Update: According to the Sydney Morning Herald, our terrortubby friend may not be so jolly.
Mr Hicks’s family said that, despite his relief, he was crippled by fears that he would be a target for Muslim or far-right extremists, or inadvertently breach his plea bargain agreement and be sent back to Guantanamo Bay or be punished by the Australian or South Australian governments if he spoke out or be hounded by the media, exposing him to all these risks.
Mr McLeod said his client had concerns for himself and his family because extremist groups believed that, by renouncing his Islamic faith in 2002, he had dropped his allegiance to Osama bin Laden. His al-Qaeda training and capture among Taliban forces in Afghanistan could also anger nationalist groups, he said.
By the way, the title of that report was Hicks tastes freedom but fears for his life. It’s all about the eating, isn’t it.
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: Uncategorized
umm, i’m not sure what he should be apologizing for. the government of australia and the usa should be saying sorry to him.
If you don’t know, then either a) you are ignorant of the facts or b) you have a faulty moral compass
‘umm, i’m not sure what he should be apologizing for. the government of australia and the usa should be saying sorry to him.’
You have got to be joking.
One of our Australian citizens fighting for a terrorist organization. A group which is responsible for over 88 murdered Australians in Bali and 11 in the September 11 attacks in addition to the 3000 or so dead innocent civilians of other nationalities. He happily fought against our troops in Afghanistan when we reined in the terrorist safe heaven. He should of been shot and buried there.
I saw a ‘Free David Hicks’ slogan some 10m long a while back hanging of the St Pauls Cathedral in Melbourne and felt angry at how deluded our soft liberal society had become. That church would be rubble if Hick and his terrorist friends got their way and its membership dead or converted Islam.
In regards to both comments: firstly, do we as Australians collectively demand a public apology from every single criminal (reformed or otherwise?). Hardly.
secondly, does the crime match the punishment. Just because he has been associated with a terrorist organisation at some point in his life does not justify the punishment. If he was convicted of hurting somebody or killing western troops, he would have been convicted as charged. But in reality he was put away for 6 years in political limbo for purely preventative reasons. As a moral society, we have no right to punish people for crimes that they have the POTENTIAL to commit.
The David Hicks case was a disgrace. I’m a proud zionist jew and understand the need to act tough in the face of terrorism, but I really felt the American government were sinking to the moral level of Al Qaeda. If we have to have this silly ‘war on terror’ fine, but lets do it sticking to our ‘moral compass.’
I know where mine is, i think you may have lost yours.
“Just because he has been associated with a terrorist organisation at some point in his life does not justify the punishment.”
He fought for the KLA in Albania, he fought with the Lashkar-e-Toiba against India in Kashmir. An organization that has killed thousands of people. In fact India has launched an investigation into crimes.
He wrote from Kashmir “I got to fire hundreds of bullets. Most Muslim countries impose hanging for civilians arming themselves for conflict. There are not many countries in the world where a tourist, according to his visa, can go to stay with the army and shoot across the border at its enemy, legally.”
This all before he rushed into Afghanistan to join the fighter against the allies after Sept 11. Joshua, you think this man has not killed anyone? Israel is doomed if you appease these people. His motive was to kill people including Australians. He has admitted in taking part and people cry over him spending 6 years in jail?! How about a financier of a bus bomb in Israel? ‘Oh..I didn’t do it’ he answers with a grin and your type would let him go.
Hicks is lucky to be alive. He got a lot better deal than some of his victims I suspect.
[...] David “Terrortubby” Hicks circus continues, with his delightful father Terry “Dangerfield” Hicks providing us with this [...]